West Coast buyers of flat-rolled steel are expecting mills in the region to attempt January price hikes after a discouraging fourth quarter.

Neither of the region's two major producers—California Steel Industries Inc. (CSI), Fontana, Calif., and USS-Posco Industries (UPI), Pittsburg, Calif.—had announced specific increases as of Monday, but a growing number of buyers said they're getting indications that the companies intend to follow attempts launched recently by Nucor Corp. and AK Steel Corp. to boost prices by $30 per ton after the New Year.

Both CSI, which produces...